SESSION
Between watchdog and wordsmith: navigating the relationship between science journalists and science communicators
Science journalists and science communicators aim to inform the public about science, but their roles differ significantly. Journalists serve the public interest through independent reporting, while communicators often promote institutional goals. Freelancers may straddle both domains, creating tensions around credibility, objectivity, and professional identity. As specialist science journalism declines and “churnalism” rises, these tensions are exacerbated. At the same time, hybrid platforms like The Conversation are reshaping boundaries between the two professions.
This panel will explore the evolving relationships between journalists and communicators, drawing on recent case studies and reflections since the WCSJ in 2019. It will also consider the roles of professional associations in shaping ethical practice. Audience engagement will be central, where we will discussion how to build trust, maintain professional integrity, and foster productive collaborations. The session aims to produce practical recommendations for strengthening ties between these professions in a time of misinformation, science denial, and institutional scrutiny.
Marina JoubertSession proposer, producer and moderator| Stellenbosch University | South Africa
Marina Joubert leads the Public Engagement Lab at the Centre for Research on Evaluation, Science and Technology (CREST) at Stellenbosch University, South Africa. Her work explores the dynamic relationship between science and society, focusing on the diverse factors and actors that shape public conversations about science. She is actively involved in international research collaborations, is the deputy editor of the Journal of Science Communication (JCOM), and is an honorary lifetime member of the global PCST (Public Communication of Science and Technology) Network.
Lars GuentherSpeaker | Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich | Germany
Lars Guenther is interested in public perceptions of (controversial) science, science and health journalism, trust in science, as well as the public communication about risks and scientific (un)certainty. He is the professor of communication science at LMU Munich’s Department of Media and Communication in Germany, and research fellow at the Center for Research on Evaluation, Science and Technology at Stellenbosch University in South Africa. Guenther is also the inaugural chair of the Science Communication Interest Group of the International Communication Association and elected member of the Scientific Committee of the Public Communication of Science and Technology Network.
Pampa Garcia MolinaSpeaker | Science Media Centre | Spain
Pampa García Molina is a science journalist with a Master’s degree in physics. She has been working at the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT) since 2011, where she founded and has directed the Science Media Centre Spain since 2022. Before then, she was editor-in-chief of SINC, the first state-level public agency specialising in science information in Spanish. She is vice president of the Spanish Association for Scientific Communication. She has been a regular contributor to radio programmes and teaches science journalism in Master’s programmes, workshops, and seminars that are aimed at both journalists and researchers. Previously, she worked as a writer and editor for various media outlets in Spain and co-authored popular science books for adults and children.
Munyaradzi MakoniSpeaker | Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) | Zimbabwe
Munya Makoni is an award-winning science journalist whose reporting spans agriculture, climate change, the environment, marine sciences, health, and higher education. His work has been published by leading international outlets including EOS (Advancing Earth and Space Sciences), Forskning & Framsteg, Hakai Magazine, Mongabay, Nature, Physics World, Chemistry World, SciDev.net, The Lancet, The Scientist, and the Thomson Reuters Foundation, among others. He was a 2012 fellow of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and Research Africa and has participated in the prestigious journalist-in-residence programme of the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp (ITM). In 2019, he won the Best Feature Award from the African Academy of Sciences Science Journalism Awards. Munyaradzi now serves as a Science Communicator at the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), where he continues to share science-driven stories on Africa across the globe.
Luisa MassaraniSpeaker | Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) | Brazil
Luisa Massarani is a Brazilian science communicator who carries out practical and research activities in the field. She coordinates SciDev.Net Latin America . She also runs the Master’s programme for science communication at House of Oswaldo Cruz/Fiocruz (Brazil) and of the National Brazilian Institute of Public Communication of Science and Technology.
Brian LinSpeaker | EurekAlert! | USA
Brian Lin oversees EurekAlert!, a science news-release distribution platform operated by the non-profit American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). After journalism school, he interned at a Canadian daily technology TV show before serving as a press officer at the University of British Columbia. Since joining AAAS in 2014, he has more than tripled web traffic at EurekAlert! and led the development of a new platform that launched in 2021. His current focus is in expanding access to EurekAlert! in low- and middle-income countries and building capacity to support scientists in their communication efforts.
Nora BärSpeaker | eldestapeweb.com and C5N TV | Argentina
Nora Bär has worked as a science journalist for over four decades, most of which were at La Nación, one of Latin America’s most prestigious media outlets, where she founded and edited the science and health section. She has guest lectured at science communication conferences and universities in Argentina and abroad. She is the author of multiple books, including Diez preguntas que la ciencia (todavía) no puede contestar and others. She has received numerous awards, including the career achievement award in science journalism from the University of Buenos Aires, and the Konex Platinum Award in 2017. She is a member of her country’s National Academy of Journalism. Currently, she is a science writer and hosts a radio programme dedicated to science, health, and technology on eldestapeweb.com, and is a science and health columnist for C5N TV channel.
Schalk MoutonSpeaker | University of the Witwatersrand | South Africa
Schalk Mouton is a communications professional with over 24 years’ experience as a journalist and communications professional. Mouton is currently the senior communications officer at Wits University, South Africa, where he has his team are responsible for advancing the university’s reputation by communicating its research in a clear, interesting, understandable way to various audiences. The team uses various digital, multimedia and print platforms to do this. Mouton is also the founding editor of Wits University’s research magazine, Curios.ty. Before joining Wits University, he worked as a journalist at several of South Africa’s largest daily newspapers, including serving as a news editor at the national daily newspapers, Beeld and The Times.
Mia MalanSpeaker | Bhekisisa Centre of Health Journalism | South Africa
Mia Malan is the founder and editor-in-chief of the Bhekisisa Centre for Health Journalism. She has worked in newsrooms in Johannesburg, Nairobi, and Washington, DC, winning more than 30 awards for her radio, print, and television work.